President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday focused his re-election bid on Greater Taichung, holding a large-scale rally and a meeting with netizens, as the election campaigns of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) heated up.
Ma and his running mate, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), attended the campaign rally organized by sports groups in the morning to consolidate support. Ma later met with his Facebook supporters and discussed national policies before heading to another campaign activity held by the party’s youth group.
Ma’s campaign schedule in Greater Taichung coincided with the campaign activities of his DPP counterpart, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who also visited the municipality yesterday for the DPP’s congress and large-scale rally to build up momentum for the combined legislative and presidential elections on Jan. 14.
The overlapping campaign schedule of the two candidates sparked concerns from Tsai’s camp, especially after Tsai’s trip to the US earlier this month was mirrored by Ma’s top aide, his campaign executive director King Pu-tsung (金溥聰), who continuously criticized Tsai’s campaign platform and policies during his US trip.
Ma’s campaign yesterday dismissed concerns from Tsai and the DPP about Ma campaigning in the same location as Tsai, and urged the DPP presidential nominee to focus her attention on presenting a platform.
“President Ma’s meeting with Facebook fans in Taichung was arranged a month ago and we have never accused Tsai and the DPP of following our campaign schedule. Rather than questioning us, Chairperson Tsai should focus her efforts on offering solid policies,” said Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強), vice executive director of Ma’s campaign team.
At the campaign rallies, Ma promoted the government’s cross-strait policies and promised to lead the nation to a more prosperous future if re-elected.
“The majority of Taiwanese wish to maintain the ‘status quo’ across the Taiwan Strait and this represents the consensus in Taiwan. The government has been promoting peaceful cross-strait relations under such a consensus and we will continue to do so for the next four years,” Ma said at a meeting with the KMT’s youth members.
He also promised to further improve the lives of the people by addressing everyday issues from the price of cooking wine to fraud cases.
“The government should understand the pain of the people and work hard to solve problems ... Please give us four more years and let us continue with the reforms that will make Taiwan better,” he said.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College